Cut-easy device



H. E. SMITH CUT-EASY DEVICE April 1`o, 1951 Filed Jan. 23; 1948 hm. Nkh.

Patented Apr. 10, 1951 CUT-EASY DEVICE Harry E. Smith, Atlanta, Ga.,assignor of onethird to John Charles Duttenhofer, Richmond,

Va., Hetzel, Atlanta, Ga.

and one-third to Henrietta Elizabeth Application January 23, 1948,Serial No. 3,992

3 Claims. 1. The present invention relates to improvements in a cut-easydevice and has for an object to provide a cutting device constructed andarranged to be used in place of shears, more particularly for slidecutting in connection with blueprints, blackline prints, reproducedtracings on cloth, and Van-dyke prints on very thin paper.

The invention was suggested by the problem with the conventional shearswhich in such uses have to be sharpened so continuously that the metalis ground down to a point where it is impossible to maintain a smoothedge on the shears.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved cutting deviceembodying a razor-edge cutting blade detachably mounted in a holding jawso as to be interchangeable when worn for a fresh sharp blade.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cut-easydevice that will render sliding cutting easier and much faster thanheretofore possible with the old style shears and in which economy iseffected in that the relatively inexpensive blade need only be replacedwhen dull rather than the entire shears.

The invention has been proven to work successfully on such material ascotton, wool, silk,`

linen, rayon, nylon, oil-cloth, seat covers, curtain material, andvarious pattern designs.

The invention will also be found of great use in department stores,ofces, shops, households, schools, art shops, printing shops, tailorshops, millinery shops, florist shops, and drafting, engineering,architects, and upholstery shops, and textile manufacturing plants.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanicalmovement between an operating trigger and a movable jaw holder of thedevice whereby ease and efciency in operation of the cutting device ispromoted to a high degree.

A still further object of the invention resides in embodying in thedevice a latch arrangement by which the holding jaw is locked in closedposition against the base jaw against the automatic action of a springwhich tends to maintain the jaws in the open position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, in which like parts are denoted by the same referencecharacters throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an improved cuteasy device constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

III

Figure 2 is a longitudinal central section taken on the line 2 2 inFigure 1 with the device in the open position;

Figure 3 is a similar view with a part of the handle removed and withthe jaws closed;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the device;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5 5 in Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 6 6 in Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,v

IIJ designates a handle having hollowed out in its outer portion achamber II. This chamber is closed at its bottom I2, side walls I3, andinner end wall I4 but is open at its top portion, being normally closedby a cover I5 which is detachably secured in place by screws or otherfastenings.

The front wall is also open or substantially open to movably receivetherethrough a holder jaw IB which cooperates with a base or fixed jawIl projecting out from the lower portion of the front part ofthe chamberI I. Y

This fixed jaw Il has preferably a tapered or inclined upperlongitudinal Yedge in which is made a groove I8 positioned to receivethe thin knife or cutting blade I9 removably carried by the upper holderjaw I5. This holder jaw is formed with a longitudinal groove 2U in itslower edge to detachably receive the knife blade I9, and bolts or otherfastenings 2| pass laterally through the holder jaw I6 and through theknife blade I9 to hold the same xedly in place. of the holder jaw I6 andthe bottom of the groove 28 may be inclined or tapered whereby when thejaws I6 and I1 are brought together a shearing cut may be performed onthe material.

The blade I9 may be relatively narrow and thin with an economy ofmaterial whereby the same may be discarded when worn or dull andreplacedbyV a substitute blade of like character. Such a blade is reinforced bythe side walls of the movable upper jaw I6, and the same may besharpened to razor keenness.

The rear or inner end of the upper holder jaw IIi is received throughthe open front end of the chamber II above the point of attachment ofthe lower fixed base jaw Il. Within the forward part of the chamber I Isuch upper movable holder jaw Iii is pivot/ally mounted on a transversepin22 about Awhich are preferably arranged ball or roller bearings 23 onwhich the inner end 0f the upper jaw I6 is rotatably or pivotallymounted. Below the pivotal mounting 22 the movable jaw carries 'adependent arm 24 which extends generally at right angles downwardly Thelower edge from the longitudinal axis of the upper movable jaw I6 landpreferably has a curved front wall struck on the larc of rotation of thearm 24 about the center 22 whereby the arm 24 may rock within theforward lower portion of the chamber II without interference from theattachment of the lower fixed jaw I'I with the forward part of thehandle.

The upper movable j-aw I6 also carries a tailpiece 26 projectingrearwardly into the chamber II extending rearwardly of the rear wall 2lof the depending arm 24. This tail-piece has a lower ledge or shoulder28 for a purpose later described.

A pair of links 29 have their forward ends pivoted as at 30 to the rearlower portion of the dependent arm 24, roller or ball bearings beingpreferably associated with the pivots 30; it being understood that thelinks are overlapped with the side faces of the dependent arm 24.

The rear ends of the links 23 are in a similar manner, and preferablyassociated with ball or roller bearings, pivoted, as indicated at 3l, tothe rear lower portions of la trigger 32. This trigger is mounted in therear portion of the chamber I I upon a transverse pivot 33 surrounded byball or roller bearings 34. The pivotal mounting 33 is preferably in anupper forwardly offset lug 35 of the trigger 32 so that the pivot 33 isin the upper forward corner of the trigger while the pivots 3l are inthe lower rear corner of the same. In other words these pivots 3I rand33 are disposed in diagonally opposite corners of the gener-allyrectangular trigger 32. The trigger oscillates forwardly and backwardlyin the rear portion of the chamber II .on Vthe transverse pin 33. Therear motion of the trigger 32 is achieved by manipulation of theoperator and for this purpose an extension trigger finger 36 projectsdownwardly through a slot 3'I in the bottom wall I2 of the chamber II.This trigger finger 3E is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from thetrigger 32 and its lower edge is arranged diagonally with respect to thelong axis of the handle Ill wherebyas the tool is held in the hand ofthe operator the forward index finger may naturally rest beneath thetrigger finger 316 and be in a convenient position to squeeze upwardlyupon the same which will have the eect of rearwardly rotating thetrigger 32 in the chamber I I.

The upper rear edge 38 of the trigger 32 is given a diagonal lslope toreceive the diagonal 4 free downwardly-turned finger 38 of a leaf orflat spring 40 mounted Within the chamber I I in such relation to thetrigger 32 as to tend to force the same downwardly and forwardly.

The top cover is longitudinally slotted at `4I to slidingly receivetherethrough the vertical shank 42 of a latch member. Such shank 42carries a horizontally extending latch foot 43 having lateral extensionsor wings 44 which are slidable in the horizontally elongated grooves 45in the side walls I3. In other words the latch is substantiallyL-shaped.

The upper end of the latch shank 42 where it projects above the cover isscrew threaded a-s in dicated at 46 to receive the internally threadednut 4l. This nut is arranged to bind upon the upper surface of the coverI5 and to dra-w up lagainst the lower part of such cover a flange 4Bcarried flxedly by the latch shank 42.

The latch foot 43 is so related to the tail-piece 26 as to slidethereunder in the closed position of the jawsl6 and Il.

Preferably the groove I8 is V-shaped in .cross section and extendscompletely through the outer free tip end of the base jaw Il tofacilitate the evacuation from this groove of all substances and wastematerial.

In operation with the latch normally in the rear retired position thespring 39, yIII) will react on the trigger 32 to rotate such triggercounterclockwise thereby pushing forwardly upon the links 2S and uponthe dependent arm 24 which results in rotating the upper holder jaw I6around its Pivot 22 in a counter-clockwise direction to open the jawsand to withdraw the knife blade I9 from the groove I8 of the fixed basejaw I'I. This is the normal initial position of the device in which itis advanced into the material by the movement of the operators handgrasping the handle II) with the index finger engaged beneath thetrigger nger 36. When an incision is to be made the finger 36 is simplysqueezed which causes the trigger 32 to rotate rearwardly or clockwisecompressing the spring 39, 40 `and pulling back upon the links 29 andthe dependent arm 24, which acts to bring the upper pivoted holder jawI6 down upon the lower xed base jaw II. The knife or cutting blade I8thus enters the V-shaped groove I8 in a progressive manner from inner toouter ends of the jaws thus performing a shearing cut upon the includedmaterial. Subsequent to the cutting action the squeezing operation isreleased from trigger finger 36, whereupon the spring 39, 4B restoresthe parts to initial origin position with the jaws open.

In this way the material is cut through by repeated squeezings andreleasings of the trigger 36, the squeeze action closing and the spring39, 40 opening the jaws.

When the device is not in use and when it is being carried about, forinstance on the person of the operator, it is desired to maintain thejaws closed with the sharp edge of the cutting blade I9 sheathed in theV-shaped groove I8 of the lower cutting jaw I I and to this end the jawsare first closed by the squeezing action aforesaid which brings thetail-piece 26 to a correct elevated position with reference to thegrooves 45 whereby the latch may be slid forwardly to cause the latchfoot 43 to engage beneath the ledge or shoulder portion 23 of thetail-piece 26. Thus the latch which is locked in place against downwardmovement by the lower walls of the grooves 45 prevents the tail-piece 26and therefore the arm 24 and the upper jaw 26 from rotating to an openposition.

By rotating the nut 4I in a correct direction, for instance clockwise asviewed from above, the nut will cause binding of the parts 41 and 48upon the cover and thus avoid shifting of the locking .device back andforth in the slot 4I. In this way the latch may be secured either` inthe locked or unlocked positions at the opposite end portions of theslot 4 I While I have disclosed herein the best form of the inventionknown to me at the present time, I desire it to be understood that Ireserve the right to make changes and -modifications in the hereindescribed embodiment of the invention provided such changes fall Withinthe scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A cutting device comprising a handle hav Y ing chamber therein, afixed jaw extending forwardly from'the handle and chamber, a movable jawpivoted in said chamber and arranged to cooperate with said fixed jaw,said movable jaw having a dependent arm extending below its pivot pointand a tail-piece extending rearwardly towards said handle oilv the pivotpoint, a trigger having an upper portion pivoted in the chamber adjacentthe handle and in spaced relation to the pivot point of the movablejaw,said trigger having a linger projecting below the chamber, a linkconnection pivoted to said dependent arm and to an intermediate portionof said trigger, said trigger having a sloping upper edge between itspivot point and the handle and inclining from an upper high pointdownwardly and rearwardly towards said handle, a spring having one endfixedY in said handle and the other end downturned to lie in engagementwith the sloping upper edge of said trigger whereby when the triggerREFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 58,326 Waters Sept. 25, 1866609,622 Morrison Aug. 23, 1898 1,378,791 Johanson May 17, 1921 2,436,260Klenk Feb. 17, 1948

